Topic

Shewbread (Showbread)

Passages from across the Bible

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

(Also called THE BREAD OF THE PRESENCE)

  • Hebrews 9:2 A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place.

Called HALLOWED BREAD

  • 1 Samuel 21:6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.

Ordinance concerning

  • Leviticus 24:5–9 You are also to take fine flour and bake twelve loaves, using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf, and set them in two rows — six per row — on the table of pure gold before the LORD. And you are to place pure frankincense near each row, so that it may serve as a memorial portion for the bread, a f…

Required to be kept before the Lord continually

  • Exodus 25:30 And place the Bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.
  • 2 Chronicles 2:4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God to dedicate to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the showbread continuously, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening as well as on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts of the LORD…

Provided by a yearly per capita tax

  • Nehemiah 10:32–33 We also place ourselves under the obligation to contribute a third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God: for the showbread, for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings, for the Sabbath offerings, for the New Moons and appointed feasts, for the holy offerings, for the s…

Prepared by the Levites

  • 1 Chronicles 9:32 Some of their Kohathite relatives were responsible for preparing the rows of the showbread every Sabbath.
  • 1 Chronicles 23:29 as well as for the rows of the showbread, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.

Unlawfully eaten by David

  • 1 Samuel 21:6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.
  • Matthew 12:3–4 Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests.
  • Mark 2:25–26 Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.”
  • Luke 6:3–4 Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, took the consecrated bread and gave it to his companions, and ate what is lawful only for the priests to eat.”

Placed on the Table of Shewbread (see TABLE OF, below.)

  • Exodus 40:22–23 Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Table of

  • Hebrews 9:2 A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place.

Ordinances concerning

  • Exodus 25:23–28 You are also to make a table of acacia wood two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. And make a rim around it a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to t…
  • Exodus 37:10–15 He also made the table of acacia wood two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. He overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. He cast four gold rings for the table and fastened the…

Its position in the tabernacle

  • Exodus 26:35 And place the table outside the veil on the north side of the tabernacle, and put the lampstand opposite the table, on the south side.
  • Exodus 40:22 Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.

Furniture of

  • Exodus 25:29–30 You are also to make the plates and dishes, as well as the pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold. And place the Bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.
  • Exodus 37:16 He also made the utensils for the table out of pure gold: its plates and dishes, as well as its bowls and pitchers for pouring drink offerings.
  • Numbers 4:7 Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it.

Consecration of

  • Exodus 30:26–27 Use this oil to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony, the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, the altar of incense,
  • Exodus 30:29 You are to consecrate them so that they will be most holy. Whatever touches them shall be holy.

How removed

  • Numbers 4:7 Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it.
  • Numbers 4:15 When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding t…

For the temple

  • 1 Kings 7:48 Solomon also made all the furnishings for the house of the LORD: the golden altar; the golden table on which was placed the Bread of the Presence;
  • 1 Kings 7:50 the pure gold basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers; and the gold hinges for the doors of the inner temple (that is, the Most Holy Place) as well as for the doors of the main hall of the temple.
  • 2 Chronicles 4:19 Solomon also made all the furnishings for the house of God: the golden altar; the tables on which was placed the Bread of the Presence;
  • 2 Chronicles 4:22 the wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers of pure gold; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place as well as the doors of the main hall.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.